Fall 2020 Biostatistics PhD Evaluation

[casummit]

Hi, I'm a senior and planning on applying to biostatistics PhD programs this upcoming application cycle. I'm interested in statistical methods for epi. I'm currently working on a problem in my research involving analysis of correlated data and I think I would like to do research in that area in a PhD program.

Undergrad institution: State school w/ a strong statistics program (top 20)

Major: Statistics

Minors: French, International Studies

GPA: 4.0/4.0

Type of Student: domestic female

GRE: Taking in September. My quant scores on practice tests range from 162-168.

Letters of Recommendation: 1 from the PI I currently do research for, 1 from my regression analysis professor, still thinking about who to ask for the last letter.

Relevant Courses:

Calc III (A+), Differential Equations (A), Linear Algebra (A), Intro to Proofs (A+), Mathematical Statistics I (A+), Mathematical Statistics II (A), SAS Programming (B), Regression Analysis (A+)

I'm planning on taking real analysis in the fall. I'm considering taking a graduate-level linear algebra class.

Research:

I participated in SIBS last summer. I currently do research in an environmental epidemiology lab that involves statistical modeling for multiple chemical exposures. I'm working on a publication where I will be the first author.

Work Experience:

Chemistry and math tutor for my university. I mention this because I want to teach after getting my PhD, so I hope to do a lot of TA work in graduate school.

Programs I'm considering:

BU, Pitt, GW, JHU, UW, Drexel

Do these programs seem reasonable? I'd prefer to be in a biostatistics program that is housed within a school of public health. I'd appreciate any feedback you may have on my application stats and my school choices. Also, any other suggestions as to where I should think about applying would be great!

Thank you!

 

[bayessays]

If you can get a 165+ on the GREQ, as well as hopefully acing real analysis, you should aim much higher. Your profile is too good for schools like Drexel and GW, and schools like BU and Pitt would probably be your worst-case fallbacks. I'd apply for all the top 10 programs if I were you.  

[omicrontrabb]

I agree with @bayessays. I had a profile very similar to yours. (But with a 168Q on the GRE and a B in real analysis.)

I was accepted into three of the top six biostatistics PhD programs this year, so I think you should have similar results. There does seem to be a lot of randomness in the decisions. In addition to those acceptances, I was rejected by two other top five programs and also Boston University. So, If I were you, I’d apply to basically all of the top 10 programs and you should definitely get in some of them.

Also, for what it’s worth, I think all of the top biostats programs are in schools of public health, except for Berkeley, which has a weird interdepartmental set-up.

[bayessays]

3 minutes ago, omicrontrabb said:

I agree with @bayessays. I had a profile very similar to yours. (But with a 168Q on the GRE and a B in real analysis.)

I was accepted into three of the top six biostatistics PhD programs this year, so I think you should have similar results. There does seem to be a lot of randomness in the decisions. In addition to those acceptances, I was rejected by two other top five programs and also Boston University. So, If I were you, I’d apply to basically all of the top 10 programs and you should definitely get in some of them.

Also, for what it’s worth, I think all of the top biostats programs are in schools of public health, except for Berkeley, which has a weird interdepartmental set-up.

I believe Berkeley's is in the school of public health, but heavily associated with the statistics department.  The only well-known department I know of that is not in a SPH is Penn, which is located in their school of medicine.